Cuban recipe
Cuban-Style Spaghetti with Creole Sauce, Ham and Cheese
Cuban spaghetti with a sofrito of garlic, onion, bell pepper and tomato, diced ham and grated cheese. An easy, flavorful homemade dish.
- Preparation15 min
- Cooking25 min
- Total time40 min
- Servings4 plates of spaghetti
- DifficultyEasy
In many Cuban homes, spaghetti is prepared with a Creole sofrito of garlic, onion, bell pepper and tomato. This version includes diced ham and grated cheese on top, simple ingredients that make a family-friendly, economical dish.
The sauce cooks until its flavor is concentrated, while the pasta is cooked al dente and finished by mixing it into the sauce in the pan. This recipe differs from Italian carbonara: here, tomato and Cuban sofrito take center stage.
Ingredients
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Method
- Bring plenty of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Meanwhile, peel and chop the onion, garlic and bell pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion and bell pepper for 5 minutes, until tender.
- Add the garlic, oregano and cumin. Stir for 30 seconds without burning the garlic; add the ham and sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add the crushed tomatoes. Cook over low heat for 12–15 minutes until thickened; season with salt and pepper at the end, keeping in mind that the ham already adds salt.
- Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve 100 ml of the cooking water.
- Transfer the drained spaghetti to the skillet with the sauce and stir over low heat for 1 minute. Add a little of the reserved water if the sauce needs loosening.
- Serve hot on four plates and sprinkle 25 g of grated cheese over each portion.
